Payment instruments are used in a wide variety of transactions. Examples of such payment instruments include credit cards, stored value cards, debit cards, loyalty cards, library cards, membership cards, and the like. The information displayed on a credit card is typically controlled by the bank issuing the card and displays information, such as the account number, a three or four-digit authentication code, validity of the card, name of issuing bank, name of the interbank network, and the like. The payment instruments also include a hologram having embedded within security features and an integrated circuit to support Europay-Mastercard-Visa (“EMV”) payment functionalities. Despite the aforementioned options, the choices for what is to appear on a payment instrument are limited. When a new payment instrument is issued to a user, that user is told (usually via a sticker on the card) to activate the payment instrument by calling a phone number or by visiting a website where the user registers the payment instrument by providing personally identifiable information.
Business owners often use multiple accounts and multiple payment instruments for their business. Accounting for business owners is complicated, in part because of the multiple payment accounts and payment instruments. Business owners often invest significant resources into managing and separating business and personal funds in a secure and fair manner. Furthermore, cash flow can be challenging for business owners. For instance, business owners want quick access to their earned funds (quicker than what is currently available via traditional banking methods). Further, business owners do not feel in control of their finances given conventional business banking techniques. That is, business owners want a transparent understanding of their cash flow.
In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items or features. The drawings are not to scale.